1981 Triumph Spitfire — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

65.6%

Latest Pass Rate

2,361

Total Tests (All Years)

59,228 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1981 Triumph Spitfire as it ages.

28 yrs59.0%

→ ↑0.6%

29 yrs59.6%

→ ↑2.7%

30 yrs62.3%

→ ↓3.9%

31 yrs58.4%

→ ↓0.9%

32 yrs57.5%

→ ↑8.1%

33 yrs65.6%

→ ↓3.3%

34 yrs62.3%

→ ↑4.4%

35 yrs66.7%

→ ↓2.1%

36 yrs64.6%

→ ↑1.8%

37 yrs66.4%

→ ↑2.8%

38 yrs69.2%

→ ↓1.9%

39 yrs67.3%

→ ↑1.7%

40 yrs69.0%

→ ↑1.7%

41 yrs70.7%

→ ↑11.8%

42 yrs82.5%

→ ↓16.9%

43 yrs65.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	59.0%	205
29 yrs	59.6%	198
30 yrs	62.3%	207
31 yrs	58.4%	190
32 yrs	57.5%	207
33 yrs	65.6%	189
34 yrs	62.3%	199
35 yrs	66.7%	174
36 yrs	64.6%	181
37 yrs	66.4%	131
38 yrs	69.2%	133
39 yrs	67.3%	101
40 yrs	69.0%	116
41 yrs	70.7%	58
42 yrs	82.5%	40
43 yrs	65.6%	32

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1981 Triumph Spitfire pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (43 yrs)	65.6%	32
2023 (42 yrs)	82.5%	40
2022 (41 yrs)	70.7%	58
2021 (40 yrs)	69%	116
2020 (39 yrs)	67.3%	101
2019 (38 yrs)	69.2%	133
2018 (37 yrs)	66.4%	131
2017 (36 yrs)	64.6%	181
2016 (35 yrs)	66.7%	174
2015 (34 yrs)	62.3%	199
2014 (33 yrs)	65.6%	189
2013 (32 yrs)	57.5%	207
2012 (31 yrs)	58.4%	190
2011 (30 yrs)	62.3%	207
2010 (29 yrs)	59.6%	198
2009 (28 yrs)	59%	205

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

59.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 205Avg Mileage 54,486Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.9%

2010High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 198Avg Mileage 52,841Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%

2011High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 207Avg Mileage 53,146Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.6%

2012High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 190Avg Mileage 54,411Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.7%

2013High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 207Avg Mileage 53,760Top Failure Brakes — 57.5%

2014

65.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 189Avg Mileage 53,072Top Failure Brakes — 54.5%

2015High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 199Avg Mileage 53,123Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.2%

2016

66.7%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 174Avg Mileage 56,666Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.4%

2017High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 181Avg Mileage 56,977Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.4%

2018

66.4%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 131Avg Mileage 61,074Top Failure Brakes — 36.6%

2019

69.2%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 133Avg Mileage 55,565Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.1%

2020

67.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 101Avg Mileage 61,118Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.7%

2021

69.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 116Avg Mileage 57,198Top Failure Brakes — 29.3%

2022

70.7%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 58Avg Mileage 56,134Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 55.2%

2023

82.5%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 40Avg Mileage 58,937Top Failure Brakes — 10.0%

2024

65.6%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 32Avg Mileage 59,228Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.3%

MOT results for 1981 Triumph Spitfire by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	59.0%	205	54,486	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.9%
2010	29	59.6%	198	52,841	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%
2011	30	62.3%	207	53,146	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.6%
2012	31	58.4%	190	54,411	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.7%
2013	32	57.5%	207	53,760	Brakes — 57.5%
2014	33	65.6%	189	53,072	Brakes — 54.5%
2015	34	62.3%	199	53,123	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.2%
2016	35	66.7%	174	56,666	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.4%
2017	36	64.6%	181	56,977	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.4%
2018	37	66.4%	131	61,074	Brakes — 36.6%
2019	38	69.2%	133	55,565	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.1%
2020	39	67.3%	101	61,118	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.7%
2021	40	69.0%	116	57,198	Brakes — 29.3%
2022	41	70.7%	58	56,134	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 55.2%
2023	42	82.5%	40	58,937	Brakes — 10.0%
2024	43	65.6%	32	59,228	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 Triumph Spitfire, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

29.7%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

28.8%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

23.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

17.6%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	15.6% (28 yrs)	9.4% (43 yrs)	-6.2%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	23.4% (28 yrs)	28.1% (43 yrs)	+4.7%	🔴 ↑
Steering	9.3% (28 yrs)	6.3% (43 yrs)	-3.0%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981

← Back to Triumph Spitfire overview

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About This Data

This page shows how Triumph Spitfire cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,361 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.